BNP gains give party first taste of power

The far-right British National Party more than doubled its number of councillors across England, justifying a decision to field a record 221 candidates.

It became the second largest party in Burnley where it gained a further five seats to add to the three won last year, defeating Labour's deputy leader.

Carol Ann Hughes, who regained the seat she won last year, said the party had concentrated on local issues.

"I also feel my election is a vote of confidence in my performance over the last 12 months as a councillor, being a community-first councillor," she added.

As the second largest party on the council, the BNP will be looking to gain a seat on the executive that runs the authority, giving the Far Right a taste of power, however small.

Peter Pike, the town's Labour MP, said it was a "very disappointing night". He added: "They are a racist, divisive party. Questions must be asked as to how, at this stage of a Labour Government, the Tories and Liberals are not in a position where they are picking up votes.

"I've been involved in elections for over 40 years. At the end of the day it is the old traditional basics of getting your message across, find where your support is and get it out."

Shahid Malik, a former member of the Commission for Racial Equality and of Labour's NEC, said: "We've got to get this into perspective. There are some 22,000 councillors in this country, the BNP will have got 15 or so of that.

"It is important to put it in that context but it is also important not to be complacent. One BNP councillor in this country is one too many."

Simon Bennett, a BNP spokesman, said: "I'm delighted and shocked. A small team has achieved a big result. I just hope that other parties will accept that we are part of the political landscape in Burnley and work with us."

The BNP won a seat in Broxbourne, Herts, well outside its usual political territory. It also picked up a seat in Stoke on Trent. It was less successful elsewhere. In Oldham, Nick Griffin, the party leader, failed to win a seat. In Sunderland, where the party fielded candidates in all 25 seats, it was unable to take a single ward.

Its candidates polled some 13,652 (13.75 per cent) of the total 99,288 votes cast, however, and its leaders claimed its real intention was to get a foothold in the city ahead of next year's election of the entire council through boundary changes.

It came second in five wards, mainly at the expense of the Conservatives who also lost two wards to Labour.

A high turn-out of between 42 per cent and 56 per cent across the wards, double that of last year's elections, was attributed to the introduction of an entirely postal vote.

Leading figures in the community had also implored local people to exercise their vote to stop the extremists gaining electoral success in the North-East.

Chris Mullin, Labour MP for Sunderland South, said: "I'm delighted to see that the people of Sunderland have decided not to be represented by fascists."